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Beijing irked at Army Chief Rawat’s statement on “salami slicing” by China on India’s borders

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Beijing irked at Army Chief Rawat’s statement on “salami slicing” by China on India’s borders

Spokesperson of the Chinese foreign minister says India must clarify if General Rawat’s statement were “personal” or reflection of government’s line

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s recent comments over the possibility of India facing a simultaneous war front with Pakistan and China seem to have damaged the already feeble relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

Predictably irked by General Rawat’s comments – which came at the same time as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping were insisting that the two countries should talk peace and move over the Doklam standoff – Beijing has asked the Indian government o clarify whether the Army chief’s “personal impromptu comment” were in line with India’s official stand on ties with China.

Geng Shuang, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday, called General Bipin Rawat’s remarks as “shocking” and said, “We have taken note of the position of the Indian military official concerned… I do not know whether his statements have been authorised, were his personal impromptu comments or were on behalf of the Indian government.”

Shuang’s response was to comments made by General Rawat while speaking at a seminar organised by defence think-tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies in New Delhi on Wednesday where he said: “As far as the Northern adversary (China) is concerned, flexing of muscles has started. Salami slicing, taking over territory in a very gradual manner, testing our limits or threshold is something we have to be wary about. Remain prepared for situations that are emerging gradually into conflict.”

The Army Chief had then gone on to say: “Whether these conflicts will be limited and confined in space and time, or whether these can expand into an all-out war along the entire front with the western adversary (a reference to Pakistan) taking advantage of the situation developing on the Northern border (with China) is very much likely (sic).”

What may have left the Chinese establishment red faced is that Rawat’s comments – which Beijing may see as a provocation – came just a day after the Indian Prime Minister and Chinese premier buried the proverbial hatchet at the BRICS summit in Xiamen, China. The leaders of the two countries had decided to move past the bitterness over the recently ended 73-day-long Doklam standoff and instead pursue “healthy, stable bilateral ties” that “do not allow differences to become disputes”.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had, on Thursday, said that relations between the two countries were “not derailed” while admitting that ties were “damaged and affected” during the Doklam standoff. These were the first official remarks from Beijing after the meeting of the leaders of the two countries at the BRICS summit.

The Chinese foreign minister said that the two countries should learn from the past and maintain a peaceful border. “There should be no confrontation. We need to build strategic mutual trust, and the two sides need to work and regard each other as partners of cooperation, rather than be driven by old fashioned mindsets and regard each other as rivals or threats,” he said.

Wang further said “Recently, due to well-known reasons, Sino-Indian relations were indeed damaged and affected. Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi have held successful bilateral talks in Xiamen and both sides should conscientiously implement the consensus of the leaders and ensure healthy and stable development.”

Although the Indian establishment has not yet reacted to the reservations expressed by the Chinese government over the remarks made by the Army Chief, it appears that General Rawat has unsettled the “mutual trust” that the two countries have been speaking of as a prerequisite to peace and tranquillity along their shared borders.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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